Nunez: My Goal Is to Become a Champion with Ipswich

Marcelino Nunez is preparing for a fiery reception at Carrow Road on Saturday, but the Ipswich player remains unfazed by the hostility that awaits him. The Chile international, who made a £10m switch from Norwich in August, feels he is well-equipped to cope with the pressure. Nunez became the first player since Andy Marshall in 2001 to move from Norwich to Ipswich, and a few weeks later, he helped Ipswich beat their rivals for the first time in 16 years with a 3-1 win. 'It was a big task, but we managed to turn it around and end the run, and I was really happy about it,' he tells Sky Sports. Nunez's celebrations that day at Portman Road, when he waved a corner flag in front of jubilant Ipswich fans after coming off the bench to set up the third goal against his old club, were clear evidence of his joy. 'It was natural, it just came to me spontaneously,' he says. 'In South America, when you win a big derby, you celebrate a lot, and that South American side of me came out a bit.' Nunez is motivated to face the game on Saturday and is focused on helping Ipswich take another step closer to the Premier League. The move to Ipswich was driven by his ambition to fight for the championship, and he feels that the team, under Kieran McKenna, has the resources to establish themselves as a strong team and fight for promotion. Nunez has certainly played his part this season, bringing creativity, set-piece prowess, goal threat, and energy to the No 10 role. His importance can be seen in Ipswich's record with and without him, and he credits McKenna for his impact. Reaching the Premier League would allow Nunez to realise a childhood dream, and he is relaxed about Ipswich's promotion prospects, with Norwich the first of their seven remaining Championship games.